Fluoride

MAWSS must adhere to stringent drinking water standards. The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for fluoride as established by the EPA is 4 mg/L. The MCL is a level established that below which there are no known or expected health risks to the general public.

Furthermore, in 2015, The U.S. Public Health Service issued a report recommending 0.7 mg/L as the optimal level of fluoride in drinking water in the U.S. for benefiting teeth. As reported in MAWSS Consumer Confidence Report for 2017, the range of fluoride concentrations in our water for that year was less than 0.2 mg/L to 0.60 mg/L, 85 percent below the MCL.

The American Dental Association (ADA) website www.ada.org includes a number of study results and videos that address the issue of fluoride safety. Moreover, a 2018 publication by ADA entitled, “Fluoride Facts” provides current information about fluoride benefits. In the publication, ADA also addresses the issue of fluoride toxicity. According to the ADA, “Fluoride at the much lower recommended concentrations (0.7 mg/L) used in community water fluoridation is not harmful or toxic.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are also proponents of community water systems fluoridating drinking water. For your convenience, attached is a 2017 publication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the safety and effectiveness of community water fluoridation.

The fluorosilicic acid used by MAWSS is compliant with ANSI/AWWA Standard B703-06 and NSF/ANSI 60. According to AWWA B703-06 Section 4.3, the fluorosilicic acid supplied “shall contain no mineral or organic substance in quantities capable of producing deleterious or injurious effects on the health of those consuming water that has been properly treated with the material.” Under NSF/ANSI 60, the concentration of impurities is limited to levels that comply with the aforementioned quote.

Please seek the advice of your doctor if you have an illness that requires water treated to more stringent standards than those mentioned above. Flouride filters at the faucet/pitcher or bottled water without fluoride may be more suitable for your particular needs.